“I’m sure nothing has happened. It’s been downright dull there the past several months. How do you think the wedding went? You got to see Zifa’s dress, didn’t you?” He drifted over and stroked a hand over her red hair.
“Ooh, it was gorgeous.” She rolled onto her back, propped herself up on her elbows, and grinned. “I do love these new styles the city ladies are wearing, with the draping sleeves and flowing skirts. The embroidery was exquisite, too.”
She watched the crowds of spirits drifting through the darkened city beyond the window and her smile faded.
“Do you think this will finally be over tomorrow? I want to go home.”
He opened his mouth to answer, snapping it closed it when the door flew open.
Agommi strode into the room, a fierce scowl on his weathered features.
Kiri leapt off the bed and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m so happy to see you!”
He backed out of her embrace, his hands on her shoulders as he examined her face. “What’s happened? Why did they summon me back here in such a hurry?”
Eddrick rose and hovered beside his wife. “I didn’t know they summoned you, but I’m glad you’re here.” Without waiting for a response, he launched into a detailed account of the hearing, including the warning the ancients had given at the end.
When he had finished, he spread his hands. "What do you make of it?"
“Well, you were honest, which is good, but I think you said too much.”
Agommi drifted to a chair and perched on its edge. “The ancients don’t like anything out of the ordinary, and they especially hate having their routine disrupted. At this point, you represent both.”
“Well…what do we do now?” Eddrick gazed out the window. “I want their permission before I act on this.”
“Why don’t you let me do the talking tomorrow.” Leaning forward in the chair, Agommi propped his elbows on his knees. “I know how to get through to them. Besides, they’re still angry that you missed your first appointment.”
Kiri dropped back onto the bed. “Do you think that’s wise? I mean, shouldn’t we speak for ourselves?”
"Yes, and no. The ancients summoned me for a reason, and I suspect I understand why. You'll have a better chance of leaving here tomorrow–with or without the permission you seek–if you keep quiet during this hearing." At Eddrick's angry glare, he added, "I understand this is hard, and you're unaccustomed to letting others do the work, but you have to trust me on this."
“Fine. You do the talking. If that’s what it takes, then I’ll go along with it. What’s the plan?”
They leaned in so close their heads nearly touched, and spent the entire night engrossed in discussion over strategy, planning, and potential pitfalls.
A dreary, rainy morning dawned over the city, and Eddrick resumed his pacing. They had hashed and rehashed every detail of the information they would share with the ancients, as well as what they would withhold. They had nothing left to discuss.
Eddrick paced the length of the room, jumping toward the door at every minute sound. The sun was halfway to its peak when a soft knock echoed through the room.
With a sunny smile painted on her face, Kiri opened the door to the same spirit who had guided them to the hearing the day before. The woman didn’t look at them, but drifted away, leaving them to follow or be left behind. The winding corridors had changed in the intervening hours, with different paintings and sculptures on the walls and new mermaid-shaped lamps lighting the way.
Keeping a tight grip on Kiri’s arm, Eddrick followed the spirit. Like before, they stopped before a heavy door and waited for the ancients to call them.
The noise beyond the door had changed; there were no sounds of a crowd shuffling, no raised voices, no pleas from an unhappy petitioner. Instead, sharp scraping passed through the door, as if heavy furniture was being slid across the lacquered wood floor.
Tense, Eddrick waited until the noise had stopped and someone inside called their names. Eddrick turned the carved ivory knob and pushed the door open, stepping into the cavernous room beyond. It was empty except for six people before a podium. The four ancients and two spirits who looked closer to dust than life sat waiting.
How long had these people been dead? Did they even remember what it was like to live?
* * *
Aibek spotted light ahead in the darkening forest and sped up. He broke into a small, oval clearing. He stopped, blocking the trail, and Kai squeezed between him and the tree beside the path.
“This will work,” Aibek said.
Off to his left, a small pile of split wood leaned against a tree. Aibek moved further into the space, examining the cold ring of blackened stones near the woodpile. Someone had used this clearing before–the dwarves they had encountered, perhaps? Serik stepped up beside him, followed by Kai and Aylen.
The elf gazed into the forest beyond the clearing. “Do you think it’s safe?”
“I think it’s the best we’re going to find. It’ll be dark soon. Aylen and Kai, can you trap something for supper? Serik and I will lay camp and start a fire.”
Aibek grabbed several pieces of wood from the pile and laid them in the fire ring as he spoke, and the others leapt into action.
When night fell, the friends sat around the small fire roasting the two rabbits Aylen had snared.
While the food cooked, Aibek considered their situation. He hadn’t expected the encounter with the dwarves, but it was better to know who their enemies were. The scent of the rabbit wafted on the breeze, and his stomach snarled. A twig snapped somewhere in the forest, and he strained his eyes to see beyond the circle of trees.
“We should take turns keeping watch, so no one sneaks up on us while we’re sleeping.”
“That’s a good idea.” Aylen nodded, following his gaze.
Kai sniggered. “I’ll take first watch. I almost hope they do try something.”
They set up a schedule before Aibek, Serik, and Aylen bedded down for the night.
Aibek slept lightly, snapping awake at every rustle of leaves. He woke well before the sunrise and took over the watch from Aylen.
The wind whipped through the clearing as they broke camp, but the rain had stopped. Their path took them over downed trees, through a rocky brook, and up endless, ever-steeper hills. Despite the obstacles, they maintained a steady pace, and though they could hear the dwarves in the forest nearby, they had no interactions. As they progressed deeper into the Tsari, the trees grew closer together, and the travelers slowed their pace to navigate the rough terrain. The sun hung low on the horizon when Aibek stepped out of the thick wood and into a small clearing. A lake reflected the late afternoon sun.
“This looks like a good spot to spend the night.” Aibek moved to the center of the clearing and dropped his pack on the soft grass. “We’ll stop here. Dalan, you brought fishing twine, didn’t you?”
“Yes.” He dug through his pack and pulled out the twine. “I’ll catch us some fish.”
Aibek grinned. “I’ll join you. Serik, can you start a fire?”
“I’ll find something to go with the fish,” Aylen announced.
He vanished into the forest with all the skill of a woodland elf, and Aibek searched for any sign of where he might have gone. Chuckling, he turned back to the lake and settled in beside Dalan.
By the time darkness arrived, they had feasted on fresh fish and the ripe berries Aylen had found. With their bellies full and their bodies exhausted from the day’s travel, the friends laid out their blankets and settled in for the night.
The fire snapped and settled, and Aibek listened to the stillness of the forest. He missed the song of the crickets and frogs during the cheerful nights of summer. The air smelled of fresh earth, with very little of the musty, moldy odor that permeated the rest of the forest. It must have been the lake, small though it was. Aibek tipped his head back, searching out the familiar stars overhead.
With a stretch and a groan, Aylen stood. “I’ll t
ake first watch tonight.” He stooped by the fire and stirred the embers.
Kai stopped mid-yawn and turned hard eyes on the elf. “Why? Are your friends coming to ambush us while we sleep?”
"Would you stop calling them my friends? My friends went home after we passed the lake…the first one, I mean. The dwarves out there–" He gestured widely with both arms, "are a band of rogues who don't even acknowledge the Queen! Why would I help them? If they did attack, they'd kill me, too!"
Kai sneered. “How am I supposed to believe that with the famous elvin network you aren’t friends with every gnome and dwarf we run across? You’re just pretending not to know each other so we won’t catch on, aren’t you?”
“Enough!” Aibek stepped between the two men, arms outstretched, and placed a hand on each of their chests. “We’re all in this together, whether we like it or not. We should try to work together.” He cast a pointed glare toward Kai.
"Thank you for volunteering for the watch, Aylen. I'll certainly enjoy a bit of rest. I'll take the second watch. Kai, you can have the third, and Serik will have the morning watch. Now, let's get some sleep."
He spun on his boot heel and stalked over to his blanket. This must have been how the schoolmasters had felt when they had to break up arguments between cadets in the academy barracks. Kai grumbled as he straightened his blanket, and Aylen stirred the fire once more. Serik had slept through the tense encounter.
Aibek tucked himself into his blanket. The night air was chilly, and he wasn't far from the fire. He sat up and pulled one of the blankets from his pack and tossed it over Serik's sleeping form; he covered himself with the other. The night air had a distinct chill, and he rolled over and assessed the pile of wood they had stacked near camp. It was modest and shrinking fast. Hopefully, it would be enough.
* * *
Over the next day, the terrain roughened and the close-packed trees grew denser as Aibek and his group picked their way toward the center of the forest. They came to a stop at midday, when the trail they had been following disappeared in the thick underbrush.
Kai stepped around trees and friends to the front of the group and stared at the ground where the path should have been.
“Well, what do we do now?”
Aibek, Serik, and Aylen crowded near him, peering into the dim forest.
Serik cleared his throat. “We’ll have to press on. Look, the moss is only on the side of the trees towards us. We’ll use that as our guide and just keep moving forward.”
With a nod and a grunt, Aylen stepped forward and pushed the thick ferns aside. There, under the heavy leaves, was the faintest hint of the path. "It shouldn't be too difficult. The path is there; it's just harder to see now."
“Wonder–” Aibek cut off as an eerie screech pierced the air. It dragged out into a long, plaintive sound, fading into silence.
"What was that?" Kai's hands trembled, and his hold on his waterskin lessened.
Aibek glanced down at his own hands, they were steadier than Kai’s, but not much. He took a deep breath and held it, waiting.
“Emrialk,” Serik and Aylen said, concern marring their features.
Aibek frowned. “Oh, well…good then. At least it’s nothing dangerous.” He barked a nervous laugh.
“Nothing dangerous?” Kai turned to Aibek with an incredulous laugh. “Are you mad? Emrialk are about the most dangerous thing out here!”
"Oh. I thought they were friendly, helpful creatures. I learned that touching their mane gave a man special powers. Aunt Ira used to tell dozens of stories of wanderers that they had helped." Aibek shook his head in confusion and sought Serik.
“Tell me you’re not that naive!” Aylen laughed hard enough to stumble.
“Not everything is as it is told in nursery tales.” The elderly servant laid a papery hand on Aibek’s arm and gazed up into his face. “You must be careful to avoid the creatures in this part of the forest. We’re getting close to the Heart of the Forest, and I suspect we’ll meet the Bokinna’s protectors soon.”
"All right, then someone else should take the front for a while. I'll hang back, so I don't accidentally rush into anything. Aylen? Would you lead on?" He waved an arm out in front of him, waiting for the elf to step to the front.
“Me?” Aylen stepped back, eyes wide.
“Yes.” Aibek nodded. “You’re the one who found the trail when we all thought it was gone. It makes sense for you to lead.”
"All right, I guess. Just stay–" He cut off as another long screech reached them. It sounded closer this time. The hairs along Aibek's neck stood as he stared into the dense brush.
Hopefully, the animal making that awful noise wasn’t about to attack.
Aylen took a noisy breath and plunged into the dense forest, holding aside ferns and briers to find the diminishing path. They moved, slow and steady, through the forest. The haunting calls of the emrialk continued, but Aibek couldn't see the creature. He craned his neck with every screech, both wishing for and dreading a glimpse of the fabled emrialk.
Surely all the stories weren't wrong; they must be stunning to inspire such fantasies. Aibek's aunt had always said the emrialk were giant wolf-like creatures with a thick mane like a lion's, and a long, narrow face. They were reputed to be as sleek and limber as a summer fox, but with the hunting habits of a lone wolf.
Aylen led the way through the undergrowth, stopping every few paces to examine the trail and look up into the trees.
Aibek peered into the deepening forest, his steps slowing. Was it out there, watching him?
Will I even be able to see it if it decides to attack?
Another screech rent the air, this time closer. Aibek's heart hammered against his ribs, and he resisted the urge to run into the forest toward home. Instead, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, forcing down the panic and waiting until calm had replaced it. When he opened his eyes, he froze, not even daring to breathe. There, where he had stood only a breath before, sat the largest creature Aibek had ever seen.
It lowered its sleek brown neck and brought its face to Aibek’s level, watching him through angry, intelligent eyes. The emrialk cocked its head to the side. Without a sound, the creature lowered itself to the ground in a hunting crouch, folding legs as tall as Aibek under itself. Its red and white striped nose stretched out the length of Aibek’s arm, the black end quivering as it sniffed at the travelers. Aibek cringed at the foul breath blowing in his face, but couldn’t make himself move.
A curtain of chestnut hair concealed much of the creature's shoulders, but the back and legs revealed powerful muscles under a dappled brown coat. It stretched closer, its head larger than Aibek's entire being, and flattened its pointed ears against its skull. The black fury in its eyes, focused and intent, made his blood run cold, and Aibek tried to scream. Unable to force a sound from his mouth, he flailed his arm, smacking at the air beside him until he connected with flesh.
“Ow! What was that–” Kai fell silent when he glimpsed the creature behind them. “Emrialk!” Kai’s scream broke the spell, and Aibek reached for his sword. “You can’t fight it! Get in the trees!”
Panic clawed at Aibek’s throat, but he yanked his sword free of its scabbard. Behind him, Serik grunted, and Aibek glanced over his shoulder. Serik stood at the base of a thick Shadow Tree.
"Drop your pack!" Aibek backed toward Serik, keeping himself between the creature and his mentor. "It's too heavy!"
Serik did as Aibek said, and Kai reached down from the same tree and gave Serik a hand up into the low branches. Aibek watched as his friends retreated to safety, holding his sword at the ready.
As Serik climbed, the creature screamed again and leapt at Aibek. Lightning fast, it swung a paw edged with claws as long as table knives at his head, but Aibek ducked behind the nearest tree. The skinny trunk cracked under the blow and toppled.
The beast swung again, and Aibek leaned away as the rest of the tree exploded in splinters. With nothing left between them, Aibek found hi
mself face to face with the giant canine again.
“Aibek! Get in the trees. It can’t climb,” Kai shouted from somewhere above.
The emrialk looked up, distracted by the yell. An opening. Aibek darted forward, poised to strike, and thrust his sword at the creature’s exposed neck. Faster than Aibek could react, the beast raised a foreleg and swatted at him. Aibek’s sword connected with the pad of its foot and thick, purple blood squirted from the wound. The emrialk screamed, withdrawing the injured paw and swiping again. Aibek dodged, but couldn’t move fast enough. The blow threw him backward into a skinny birch tree, which splintered and dug into Aibek’s back, knocking the air from his lungs.
No time. He had no time. The beast descended on him in a heartbeat, its hot, foul breath blowing in Aibek’s face before he could recover.
Frozen in terror, Aibek held his breath as the emrialk lowered its massive head and looped dagger-like teeth through his belt. Recognizing what was about to happen but powerless to stop it, he grasped his sword tighter. His first fighting teacher’s voice rang through his mind, admonishing him to relax his muscles before falling to minimize injury, and he concentrated on following that advice. Wind whipped past his face, robbing him of breath, as the creature lifted him from the remnants of the tree and flung him through the air. Aibek landed in a mossy clearing, though the vegetation did nothing to cushion his landing.
Pain flashed through him as his head collided with a log. Blood stung his eyes. He struggled to open them and see through the red. Somewhere nearby, the emrialk screeched, the sound creating an explosion of pain in Aibek’s head.
Above him, Kai leapt across a gap between trees, staying out of the beast’s reach.
“Climb!” Serik yelled, joining Kai. “You have to get in the trees!”
Gasping, Aibek dropped his sword and scrambled up the nearest tree, his ribs and shoulder aching with every move.
Another piercing scream, this time closer. Without stopping, he clambered up the tree toward the safety of its topmost branches.
The Nivaka Chronicles Boxed Set Page 42